KHN: Drugmakers Give Millions to Groups that Campaign for their Causes

Drug companies gave at least $116 million to patient advocacy groups in 2015, according to a database launched Friday by Kaiser Health News. “Patient advocacy groups campaign to raise awareness of diseases, to fund research and to promote policies favorable to their causes on Capitol Hill and at the Food and Drug Administration,” KHN writes. “But do they represent patients or Big Pharma? Kaiser Health News has compiled and analyzed disclosures to shed light on the flow of money between the pharmaceutical industry and patient advocacy groups. The Pre$cription for Power database will be available for downloading in May. The database currently covers 2015 and will be updated as additional data become available.”